Fluid-pressure engine.



4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

, PATENTED MAR.31, 1908. D. P. SMITH & W. F. PURGELL.

FLUID PRESSURE ENGINE.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 16, 1907.

No. 883,430. PATENTED MAR. 31, 1908. D. F. SMITH & W. F. PURGELL. FLUID PRESSURE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY16,1907.

4 SHBETSSHEET 2.

I j howl/tow PATENTED MAR. 31, 1908. I

D. F. SMITH & W. F. PURGELL.

FLUID PRESSURE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16, x90? 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

tlhiilliiii ttilATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL F. SMITH, .AND WILLIAM F. PUROELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

."FLUID PRESSURE ENGINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 31, 1908 To all 'wnmn. it mo rower-c."

Boit known that no. i AIlHCL F. Surru. and WILMAM F. .iuncurt, United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State ofNew York, and in the borough of Brooklyn, city of New York, county of Kings, and State of New York, rcs eetively, have invented -certain new and useful l .n'lprovei'nents in Fluid-- Pressure Engines, of which the following a full, clear, and exact specification. i

Our invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in fluid pressure engines, and more especially to the type known as rotary steam engines, wherein the pressure upon the piston is substantially continuous and uniform during the entire rotation or cycle thereof.

It 15 the purpose of our invention to provide an engine wherein the maximum amount of efficiency can be obtained, while at the same time simplifying and improving the construction. and arrangement of parts thereof, so that not only will the engine. )6 efficient and economical in operation,

but will be comparatively simple and inexa pensiveand require little attcntum or repairs during the life and operation tlwreof. With these objects in view, our invention consists of an engine having a rotating pis ton traveling ctmcentric to the axis of the main shaft, a movable casing surrrmnding said piston and means for neutralizing the pressure thereon so that friction between said piston and casing will be reduced to a minimum.

Other features of our invention will be sectional view through the engine, showing the piston, piston casing, auxiliary chambers, etc. Fig. 2 is a horizontal, partly cross-sectional view, taken on the line a e of Fig. 1. view of a modified form of our invention. Fig. 4 is a vertical, partly cross-sectional view taken on the line --y of Fig. 3.

in Figs. Zand 4. the piston is shown in full V hne (not in section), and in the latter figure thesteam inlet pipes and stuffing box pro shown in full, and not broken away.

Fig. 3 is a vertical, cross-sectional A cover plate 3 is bolted or secured by any suitable means to said casing, and serves to completely inclose the working parts. The main shaft 4 of the engine is journaled in suitable bearings 5 and 6 in the casing and cover plate, and suitable ,stufiin boxes 7 and 8, provided with packing rings 9, are adapted to produce a tight joint and prevent leakage of steam around the, shaft. Upon this main shaft is secured the piston block. or disk 10, which consists of a metal disk or circular block having portions of the'same cut away, as shown in l! ig. 1, for the purpose of forming 'a piston head 11, having laterally extending flanges 12, and a butt 13 upon the opposite side thereof, the outer surfaces of said butt and saidpiston head, however, forming arcs of the same circle. The said block is secured cccentrically on the main shaft, but so that the piston head revolves concentrically with the shaft. A circular, hollow casing 14 is provided for said piston, and in which the piston is adapted to revolve, a steam-tight joint being maintained between the two, and the recesses or chambers formed upon either side of the piston head by said casing and piston block constituting primary pressure and exhaust chambers, according to the direction of rotation of the )iston. A series of auxiliary steam whambers 15, are also provided around the periphery of said casing, andin the constructum shown are of tubular shape, and ports 16 lead from said. auxiliary chamborsto the motion around the main shaft of the engine,

as will be hereinafter desrg-ribed.

The auxiliary chambers in the engine illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 consist ol substantially senn-cyhndrrcalrecoplacles formed by flanges '17 cast integral with the lloating casing. and

into which are fitted sleeves 18, having one end rounded and formed to ht snugly within the receptacle and to form a steam-tight will be su shallow recess'23,

-primary chamber and the chambers communicating therewith, and

plungers 19 are located, and suitable packing rings 20 are provided to produce a steamtight joint between the parts. The outer ends of these plungers are pivotedupon studs 21, and a centrally disposed steam passage 22 connects the auxiliary'chambers with a the combined area of two of said shallow recesses is soproportioned as to equal substantially the exposed; area of the face of the casin 'forming part of the primary pressure chamber. The purpose of these recesses and the proportioning of the areas as indicated is to balance the floating casing so that the ressure upon both sides. thereof stantially e ual and thus the casing will be carried free y by thepiston without excessive friction, and the true, eflectivc pressure of the motive agent exerted entirely to operate the engine. It is obvious that by the construction above is th I but freel 21 forms the stationary abut'mentsfor the steam. in operating the engine. We thus provide a moving piston and a pressure chamber provided with fixed abutments outside of the path of travel of the piston, and

e floating casing substantially balanced, also the plungers 19, and these move a plurality of-moving balanced parts, in-

cluding the floating ring or piston casing and the lungers 19. The direction of rotation of -t e 7 :ton will depend entirely upon'to which s..1e of the piston head steam is admitted, and in the engine above described steam is admitted through the steam pipe 24, to a channel through the main shaft and the opening 25, which communicateswith the primary steam chamber upon the upper side of the piston block in Fig. 1. Upon its admission to this chamber, the steam fills the two auxiliary the effective pressure causes the piston head to revolve in the direction of the hands of a clock, the piston progressively opening and theports to the auxiliary chambers auxiliary chambers in communication with the pressure chamber, two in communication with the exhaust upon ,the .o posite side of the piston, and two dead. The port 26 in the iston head connects a passage-way 27 int e opposite end of the main shaft with the exhaust pipe 28, by means of the packed recess 29, an provided for.

" In the operation of the engine the pressure of the motive agent causing the rotationof the piston block, causes the movable casing 14 tOIIlOVG in main shaft. This operation causes the plungers 19 to oscillate upon their fixed pivots and engaging'sleevesJto slide on the plungers,

formed in the stud 21, and

19, hollow sleeves 28 are snugly within the walls of the auxiliary chamdescribed, not only.

, while the exposed portion of the studs a constant, exhaust is thus an eccentric path around the' thereby causing the sleeves t rock and the auxiliary steam chambers to have a variable v capacity during the rotation of the engine.

In Figs. 3 and 4 a somewhat modified form of our invention is illustrated. the first form, 1 indicates. the main casin having a base 2, a cover-plate 3, main sha t 4, bearings 5 and 6, and stuffing boxes'Tand 8 The form of piston is similar to that illustrated in the first two figures, and the piston casing 14 is likewise similarly constructed. In this modified construction, however; the auxiliary chambers are constructed. with rigid or fixed side walls integral with the floating casing, and instead of the plungers bers and are adapted to slide during the movement of the casing. 'The said sleeves are also provided with flat bases or flanges 29, which contact with slide hearings on the insidefaces of the engine casing 1-' as shown, and they are retained in place by angle plates 30, secured to the casing in such a way as'to, make a steam-tight ljointbtween the parts, while at thesanie time permitting ofa lateral movement of the flanged cylinders. By this means the casing is permitted to follow the piston during'its .rota'tion while at the same time the auxiliary chambers communicating with the pressurefiand exhaust chambers of the engine are""maintained steam-tight, the capacityof said auxiliary chambers varying according to the position of the parts.

two of which isse ual to the area of the exposed portion of t e casing, thus serving to Here ,as in At the base of the "said flanged chambers is provided recesses 31, the area of i provided which fit produce a balancing of the parts, as in the case of the first form above described. It

will be readily understood that this engine may-also be run in either direction, dependingflupon the side of the I steam is admitted. The operation of this modification will be readily understood. As-

piston to which suming that steam is admitted to the right- ,7

hand side of the piston in Fig. 3, the pressure chamber will consist of the inclosureformed,

y the crescent-shaped recess upon the right-hand side of the piston block and the chamber behind it is cut off, and thus-we have at all times a pressure chamber consisting of a crescent-shaped recess, whirl we havecallod the primary pressure chamber, and two auxiliary chambers.' The fixed abutments in this case will be the exposed portlons of the main or eng ne casing l, lying piston rotates, the floating.

two communicating auxiliary chambers 32,

within the sliding sleeves, and both said sleeves and the floating ring or piston casing will befreely movable and any steam pres' sure thereon neutralized. l t will be noticed that in the structures above described, during the time that the auxiliary'cliambers are in QOIHD'lUlllCLtlOD with the exhaust chamber, their capacity is being diminished by the rotation of the piston casing, and thus the expulsion of steam therefrom is assisted. The admission of the steam to the pressure chamber at aconstant pressure tends to produce a constant torque or rotative e'lfect upon the piston, which continues throughout the entire cycle. Upon the other side of the piston head the crescent-shaped recess forms an exhaust chamber, which is at all times in communication with the outlet pipe, and thus a constant exhaust is maintained. Two auxiliary chambers in constant communication with the exhaust chambers are thus provided, andby the time that their communicating ports are sealed by the head of thepiston block, substantially all of the steam has been exhausted therefrom, so that they are dead when they are opened to the pressure chamber. f

' It will be noted that the particular-cur bodiinents of invention herein disclosed contain a piston, a plurality of abutmelnts out of the path of travel of the piston, and inter- -inediate steam-confining means or members which are telescopic in their nature so that the two members of each set of steam-confining means are movable in alinei'nent or parallelism with each other and cannot be bent at an angle with respect to each other. For this reason-the steai'n-confining members move directly toward and from each other, and less friction is generated between themthan would be generated if there were any tendency f or one n'ieiriber to be bentat an angle to the other. The invention, however, is not limited to these specific. details except as defined in the claims.

It is to be understood that the expression rotary or fluid engine is intended tocovcr not only rotary steam engines, but also in.

ternal combustion engines or motors. pumps, air compressors, etc.

l tis obvious'that many modifications and effect-relative movement between the piston and the abutment.

4. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotating piston of a primary pressure chamber upon one side and an exhaust upon the other side thereof, a plurality of auxiliary steam cl'iambers communicating with and forming part of the pressure chamber, means operated bysaid piston for varying the capacity of the said auxiliary chambers during the entire cycle, and means for exhausting the auxiliary chambers while they commune cate with the exhaust chamber.

5. In a rotary engine, a rotating piston member, a primary pressure chamber on one side of the piston and. an exhaust chamber on theother side, means for balancing the ressure in the pressure chamber, and auxi iary chambers communicating with and forming part of the pressure chamber.

6. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotating pistoinof a primary pressure chamber upon one side and an exhaust upon the other side thereof, a plurality of auxiliary steam chambers communicating with the primary pressure chamber, means operated by said piston for varying the capacity of said. auxiliary chambers during the entire cycle, and means for balancing the pressure in the pressure chamber.

7; In. a rotary engine, the combination with a rotating piston of a primary pressure chamber upon one side and an exhaust upon the other side thereof, a plurality of auxiliary steam chambers communicating with the pri mary pressure chamber, mechanism operated by said piston for varying the capacity of the said auxiliary chambers throughout the entire cycle, means forexhausting the auxiliary chambers before they communicate with the pressure chamber, and means for balancing the pressure in the pressure chamber.

8. In a rotary engine, the combination of a rotating piston, pressure and exhaust chambers respectively in front of and behind the piston, auxiliary steam chambers connected to and forming part of said steam pressure and exhaust chambers, and piston plungcrs in said auxiliary chambers for vary ing the capacity of the said auxiliary chain:

hers during the complete cycle of the engine. 9. In a rotary engine, a rotating piston,

primary pressure and exhaust chambers upon opposite sides of the piston, auxiliary steam chambers communicating with said pressure.

and exhaust chambers, piston plungers in said auxiliary chambers adapted to vary the capacity of said auxiliary chambers, and to reduce the capacity of said auxiliary steam chambers when connected with the exhaust chamber.

10. In a rotary engine, the combination of a rotating piston, an eccentrically movable casing for said piston and forming therewith primary pressure and exhaust chambers respectively in front of and behind the piston, auxiliary steam chambers connected to and forming part of said pressure and exhaust chambers, piston plungers in said auxiliary chambers for varying the capacity of the said auxiliary chambers, and arranged so as to maintain the. pressure and exhaust chambers uniform in size during the complete cycle of. the engine.

11. In a rotary engine, a rotating piston, an eccentrically movable casing for said piston and forming therewith primary pressure and. exhaust chambers upon opposite sides of the piston, auxiliary steam chambers communicating with said pressure and exhaust chambers, piston plungers in said auxiliary steam chambers said piston plungers having steam passages therethrough, and arranged so as toreduce the capacityof said auxiliary chambers when connected with the exhaust chamber.

I 12. In a rotary engine, a rotating piston, primarypressure and exhaust chambers upon 0 posite sides of the piston, auxiliary steam ciiambers communicating with said pressure and exhaust chambers, piston plungers in said auxiliary steam chambers for varying the said auxiliary.chambers, and arranged so as to reduce the capacity of said auxiliary steam chambers when connected with the exhaust chamber, and means for balancing the pressure in the pressure chamber.

13. In a rotary engine, the combination of a rotating piston, an eecentrically movable casing for s5 id. piston, and forming therewith primary ressure and exhaust clm|nbers respective y in front of'and behind the piston, auxiliary steam chambers connected to and forming part of said pressure and ex haust chambers, piston plungers in said au.\'- iliary steam chambers for var 'ing the capacity of the said auxiliary cham ers and means for balancing the pressure in the pressure chamber.

14. In a rotary engine, the combination of 'a rotating piston, a movable casing forming with said piston, primary pressure and exhaust chambers, auxiliary steam chambers communicating with said primary pressure andexhaust chambers through said movable casing, said auxiliary cl'iambm's being titted with pistons pivoted outside of the plane of movement of said casing.

15. in a fluid pressure engine, the combination of a. rotating piston, apressure chamber formed in part by abutments located out of the path of travel of said piston, andan intermediate, movable, and neutralized meber between said piston and said abutments.

16. In a tluid pressure engine, a rotating piston, a movable casing for said piston, abutments located out of the path of travel of said piston and means for neutralizing the pressure on said casing.

17. In a' fluid pressure engine, the combination with a rotary piston, of a movable casing surrounding the-same, and forming,

in connection therewith, the primary pressure chamber of said engine, auxiliary chambers provided with fixed abutments" located out of the path of travel of said piston and communicating through said casing with the primary pressure chamber, and means for neutralizing the pressure on the casing.

18. In a fluid pressure engine, the combination .with a rotary piston, of fixed abutments located out of the ath of travel of the piston, and a neutralize floating ring intermediate said piston and said abutments.

19. In a fluid pressure engine, a rotating I piston, a casing for said piston, a plurality of auxiliary steam chambers adjacent to said casing and communicating .therethrough, the parts being so proportioned that at any given time the exposed inner surface of said casing substantially equals in area the effective surface of the auxiliary chambers connected therethrough.

20. In a fluid pressure engine, a rotating piston, an eccentric piston casing carried thereby, a plurality of auxiliary steam chambers adjacent to said casing and communieating therethrough, the parts being so proportioned that at any given time the exposed inner surface of said casing. equals in area the combined area of the effective surface of the auxiliary chambers connected therethrough.

21. In a fluid pressure engine, the combination of a rotary piston, 21, main shaft for said piston, a movable casing for said piston and forming therewith primary pressure and exhaust chambers, a steam inlet communicating through said shaft with said pressure chamber and an outlet con'm'mnicating through the shaft with said exhaust chamher, and means for neutralizing the pressure upon said casing.

22. In a fluid pressure engine, the combination of a rotary piston, an eccentricallymovable casing for said piston, a plurality of abutments and steam-confining means intermediate the casing and the abutments, the interior and exterior of said casing being so proportioned as to prevent excessive friction between the piston and the casing.

23. vln. a lluid pressure engine, a rotating piston, a casing for said piston, variable auxiliary chamberscommunicating with the primary pressure and exhaust chambers, and means for n'iaintaining the pressure upon both sides of the casing substantially uniform at. all ti mes d uring the operationof theengine.

24. In a rotary engine, the combination of a rotating piston, a movable casing for said piston, and forming tl'ierewith primary pressure and exhaust chambers, auxiliary chambers located outside of the path of travel of said piston. and communicatingwith said pressure and exhaust chambers, fixed abutments located. in said auxiliary chambers, and telescoping walls for varying the capac ity of said chambers.

25. A fluid pressure engine having a rotary piston, a movable casing for said piston, a

plurality of abutments. steam-confiningmeans intermediate said abutments and said casing, and means for preventing pressureproduced friction between said piston and said casing.

26. In a fluid pressure engine, a rotary piston, a floating casing inclosing said piston, abutments located out of the path of travel of the piston, conduits intermediate said piston and abutments, and means for balancing the pressure of the fluid on the conduits.

27. In a fluid pressure engine, a rotary piston, a floating casing inclosing said piston, abutments located out of the pathof travel of the piston, telescoping conduits intermediate said piston and abutments, and means for balancing the pressure of the fluid on. the conduits.

28. A fluid engine comprising a rotary piston, an abutment, and neutralized non-rotary and automatieally-extensible means for causing fluid pressure to effect relative movement between the piston and the abutment.

29. A fluid engine comprising a rotary piston, an abutment, and extensible non-rotary, neutralized means for causing fluid pressure to eflect relative movement between the piston and. the abutment.

30. A fluid engine comprising a'rotary piston, an abutment, means for holding the abutment in operative position, and exten sible, neutralized means for causing fluid .pressure to effect relative movement between the piston and the abutment.

A fluid engine comprising a rotary piston, an abutment fixed with respect to the axis of rotation of the piston, and neutralized extensible and non-rotary means for causing fluid pressure to effect relative movement between the abutment and the piston.

32. A fluid engine comprising a rotary piston, means for resisting the piston-driving pressure, and neutralized, extensible and non-rotary means for causing fluid pressure to effect relative movement between the piston and the pressure-resisting means.

A fluid engine comprising arotary piston, means concentric with the axis of the piston and out of the path of travel thereof,

for resisting the piston-driving pressure, andneutralized means for causing fluid pressure to efleot relative movement between the prston and the pressure-resisting means.

members movable in parallelism with each other for causing fluid pressure to eli'ect relative nwvement between the abutment and piston.

36. A fluid engine having an abutment, a rotary piston, and a plurality of non-rotary members movable in alinement with each other for confining the pressure on all lateral sides to cause it to effect relative movement between the abutment and the piston.

37 A fluid engine having a. rotary piston, an abutment, and intermediate non-rotary pressure-confining means composed of a pinrality of parts movable in alinement with each other. i i

38. A fluid engine comprising a rotary piston, an abutment, and non-rotary pressureconfining means composed of a plurality of parts movable in parallelism with each other.

39. A fluid engine comprising a rotary piston, an abutment located out of the path 'of movement of the piston, and intermediate non-retary steam conflning means arranged to cause substantially all of the e'fiectlve pressure to operate directly against said piston.

40. A fluid engine comprising a rotary piston, a casing, a plurality of abutments, and'a plurality of straight steam chambers interposed between the abutments and casing and arranged for pivotal movement.

41.. A fluid engine comprising a rotary piston, an abutment, and steam-confinin means having lateral walls whiehare paralldl with one another, the piston being rotatable independent of the steam-confining means.

loo

42. A fluid engine comprising a rotary piston, an abutment, and a pivotally-movable steam duct for causing fluid pressure to effect. relative movement between said abutment and said piston, the piston being rotatable independent of the steam duct.

43. A fluid engine comprising a rotary piston, an abutment and a pivotally-movable steam chamber of variable capacity for causing fluid pressure to effect relative movement between the abutment and the piston.

44. A fluid engine comprising a rotary piston, an abutment, and extensible, laterallyinflexible, pressure-confining means for causing fluid pressure to e'liect relative movement between said abutment and piston, the piston being rotatable independent of the iressure-coniining means.

45. A fluid engine comprising a rotary pisi'is . between the abutment and the piston, the

piston being rotatableindependent of the pressure chamber.

48. A fluid engine comprising a rotary piston, a casing, apluralit of abutments, and a plurality of constant y-movable pressure ,ducts connecting the abutments and the casing and having lateral walls which are p'arallel'with each other.

49. A fluid engine comprising a rotary pis- 'ton, a casing, a plurality of abutments, and a' plurality of pressure-confining members extending in straight lines between the abutments and the casing.

50. A fluid engine comprising a rotary piston, an abutment, and movable cylindrical pressure-confining means for causing fluid pressure to effect relative movement between the piston and the abutment, the piston being rotatable independent of the pressure-confining means.

.51. A fluid engine comprising a rotary piston, a plurality of abutments out of the path of travel of said piston, and an exhaust chamber on one side of said piston formed in )art by said abutments, said exhaust cham her being of substantially uniform size throughout the rotation of the piston.

52. A fluid engine comprising a rotary piston, a pressure chamber of substantially uniform area throughout the rotation of the piston, and a plurality of abutments surround- -1ng said piston and successively forming the outer wa l of said pressure chamber.

53. A fluid engine comprising a rotary piston, a counterbalanced casing, a pressure chamber, and a plurality of abutments surrounding the piston and successively forming the outer Wall of said pressure chamber.

54. A fluid engine comprising a rotary pis ton, a plurality of abutments out of the ath oftravel of SHJd PlSiZOII, and pressure an exhaust chambers on opposite sides of said pissure and exhaust chambers, and cylin rical pressure-confining means connected with said abutments and said casing.

56. A fluid engine having a rotary piston, an abutment, and counterbalanced means for causing fluid'preSsure to effect relative movement between the piston and abutment, the piston being rotatable independent of the counterbalanced means.

57. A fluid engine having a rotary piston, an abutment, and neutralized, extensible means for causing fluid pressure to effect relative movement between the piston and the abutment, the piston being rotatable independent of the neutralized means.

58. A fluid engine having a rotary piston, an abutment, and a plurality of members movable in parallelism with each other for causing fluid pressure to effect relative. movement between the abutment and the piston, said piston being rotatableindependent of. said members.

. 59. A fluid engine'comprising a rotary piston, an abutment, and a non-rotary, con-.

stantly-straig'ht pressure chamber for causing pressure to effect relative movement between the abutment and the piston.

60. A fluid engine comprising a rotary piston, an abutment, and a constantly-straight, extensible and non-rotary steam chamber for causing fluid pressure to effect relative move ment between the abutment and the piston.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DANIEL" F. SMITH. WILLIAM 1*. PURCELL. Witnesses: i

GEORGE E. Pmarrs, HENRY M. TUnK. 

